La Cathédrale Saint-Pierre - le dessous

From the 4th to the 16th century, the city of Geneva served as a seat for Catholic bishops so it was only natural that a cathedral be established there, even if it took a long time for construction of the cathedral as it is known today to begin.  Construction for la cathédrale de Saint-Pierre (St. Peter's Cathedral) actually began in the 12th century.  Prior to that time, the cathedral had been one of three to coexist on the same site.  The other two buildings were subsumed into the present-day structure, as shown in this model of the early days.

What is extremely interesting, however, is that the area beneath the present-day cathedral has been excavated to a large extent and reveals a rich history dating back to Roman times.

As it seemed to be a good idea to go inside until the sun returned, the suggestion to view the archaeological site met with general enthusiasm.  So, under the cathedral we went, happy to discover that the audiotour was included in the entrance fee, instead of as an extra charge.

There were also videos showing the stages of construction of the cathedral, as well as some of the early experiences with the dig.

There were vestiges of the building's romanesque history and

even an incomplete mosaic floor that dated back to the early Romans, who had constructed a temple on the site before being converted to Christianity.

The visit was a reminder of how ancient the area is.  Even as deeply as the archaeologists have dug, they have still not reached the level of the earliest settlements.